The Illuminating Company, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy Corp. (NYSE: FE), is carrying out tree trimming and other vegetation management tasks across its northeast Ohio service area. This initiative forms part of the company's ongoing commitment to enhancing electric service reliability. The $19.7 million tree-trimming program for this year aims to ensure continuous power supply to customers by mitigating tree-related outages, particularly during the spring and summer storm season.
A video illustrating the tree-trimming work can be accessed on FirstEnergy’s YouTube channel.
Since the start of the year, contractors have trimmed trees along approximately 100 miles of power lines in the greater Cleveland area. The company anticipates completing an additional 1,750 miles of tree-trimming work by year-end. Similar tasks are performed annually by FirstEnergy transmission companies along high-voltage power lines within the company’s service territory.
Pat Mullin, Acting President of FirstEnergy’s Ohio Operations stated, “Trees are a leading cause of power outages, and we complete proactive tree-trimming work each year to prevent tree-related outages during severe weather. This work, paired with the vast upgrades we’ve made to our local power system over recent years, undoubtedly helps minimize the impact of weather-related outages to keep the power flowing safely and reliably to customers.”
Tree trimming is conducted on a four-year cycle. The process includes inspecting vegetation near power lines to ensure trees are pruned in a way that preserves their health while maintaining safe clearances. Trees that pose a threat or are diseased may be removed.
This year's operations are being carried out in various counties and communities including Ashtabula Township, Geneva Township and Harpersfield Township in Ashtabula; Bedford, Bay Village, Beachwood among others in Cuyahoga; Claridon Township, Hambden Township among others in Geauga; Eastlake, Fairport Village among others in Lake; and Avon Lake in Lorain.
As part of its notification process, The Illuminating Company liaises with municipalities to inform them of tree-trimming schedules. Additionally, customers residing in areas along company rights-of-way are notified prior to the commencement of vegetation management work.
The Illuminating Company’s vegetation management work is overseen by certified forestry experts including Asplundh Tree Expert Company, Davey Tree Expert Company, Penn Line Services and Townsend Tree Service.
Helicopters equipped with aerial saws have been deployed since March to maintain clearances along hard-to-access transmission and distribution corridors throughout The Illuminating Company’s service area. This method typically covers more area in a day than a ground crew might complete in a week. The saw also eliminates the risk of injury to workers using bucket trucks or climbing trees to cut limbs near high-voltage equipment.
The Illuminating Company serves over 750,000 customers across Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake and Lorain counties. FirstEnergy is committed to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers across Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York.